Regulator.



PATENTED OCT. 29. 1907.

R. E. ATKINSON.

' REGULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED 0OT.26,1906.

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

//v vzw UNITED STATES:

ROBERT ERNEST ATKINSON, OF LEICESTER, ENGLAND.

REGULATOR.

I No. 869,612.

"Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 29, 1907.

Application filed October 26. 1905- Serial No. 284,546. 1

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known: that 1, ROBERT ERNEST ATKINSON, a subject of the King ofGreat Britain and Ireland, and residing at 57 Evington road, in thecounty of Leicester, England, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Regulators, of which theiollom'ng is a specification.

This invention relates to regulators employed on radiators and likeheating apparatus, the object being 1 to. provide means whereby thesupply of steam to the various radiators or like apparatus in a room maybe automatically controlled by the temperature of the room, that is tosay, the arrangement is to be such that as the temperature of the roomfalls below a certain pre-determined degree, more steam is admitted tothe radiator therein, whereas when the temperature of the room risesabove a certain degree, the supply of steam to the radiator is more orless decreased.

The invention while being applicable to steam heating systems generally,is especially applicable to steam heating systems wherein a vacuum orlow pressure is According to the invention the supply of steam to eachof the various radiators in a system is automatically controlledfirstly, by'a thermostatic valve in fluenced by the prevailing heat inor close .to the radiator, and secondly, by a diaphragm valve, thedifferential pressure on the diaphragm of which is controlled by athermostat influenced by the prevailing heat of the room or any part ofthe room wherein; the

- thermostat is placed. The differential'pressure on the diaphragm maybe effected by the atmosphere on the one side and either by compressedair or by partial vacuum such as prevails'in the return mains of avacuum system on'the other side. A

The accompanying drawings illustrate several modes of carrying the,invention into effect as applied to a vacuum steam heating system.

Figure l is a sectional elevation of part of a radiator with theinvention applied according to one mode wherein compressed air is usedto actuate the diaphragm valve. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of aradiator with the invention applied according to a mode wherein thediaphragm valve is operated'by the low pressure existing in the returnmain, and wherein a thermostat is used. Fig. 3, is a sectional elevationof a radiator with the invention applied according to another modewherein the diaphragm valve is operated by'the low pressure existing inthe return main.

In carrying out the invention according to one mode as illustratedinjFig. l, the radiator 1, is fitted witha after described, 'and also avalve 9, controlled by a thermostatic device situated within theradiator The steam admitted by the pipe 31, and passing the valve 9,then has to pass the valve 2, before it can enter the f radiator. Thesupply of steam therefore to the radiator is controlled primarily bytheheat prevailing I in or near the radiator and secondly by means of thevalve 2 which is under the influence of compressed air controlled by athermostat situated in any convenient part of the room so that thetemperature in that part of the room controls the inlet of steam to theradiator. The valve 2, is normally hold to its seat by a spring 5,surrounding the valve spindle 3, and abutting at one end against a partof the casing and at the other against l a collar on the spindle 3. Asbefore stated, the spindle l is attached to a diaphragm 4. The diaphragmis open to the pressure of the atmosphere on its under side, while itsupper side is under the influence of the pressure existing in thechamber 6! Thus according to the variations of pressure in this chamberso will'the valve 2, be moved to or away from its seat. It may in caseof emergency be; positively forced to its seat by a screwed spindle 7,having a quiclctliread, and operated by a hahdle 8, which may be fittedwith a pointer to indicate whether the valve is in its normal conditionor closed down. The chamber 6, above the diaphragm is connected by apipe 16, to a connection 17, on a thermostat 18. A supply of compressedair from any convenient source is led" by a pipe 14 to a connection 15,on the thermostat 18. The thermostat may be of any usual type.

Any suitable form of thermostatic valve influenced by the heat in ornear the radiator may be used, for instance, that shown in Fig. 1, maybe employed which has already been described in my Patent No. 829,691.This comprises a valve 9, held to its seat by two fingers 10, carried bya disk 33, pivoted on a pin 34, and attached to an iron rod 11, which isthinned at 35, to render it somewhat elastic, and is attached by a cap13, to a copper tube 12, which is secured at its opposite end to thevalve casing. Thus, the heat prevailing in the lower part of theradiator will cause the rod 11, and tube 12, to expand, but owing to thedifferent co-etficients of expansion of iron and copper, the valve 9, ona rise of temperature will'be'brought to-its seat and on a fall oftemperature will be permitted to open under the influence of the steamentering by the pipe 31, and of the spring 36. Thus, the'valve 9, willbe controlled by the heat in 'or close to the radiator, while the valve2 will'be controlled by the heat in that part of the room wherein thethermostat 18, is situated. It is obvious that the valve 9, may be soset or regulated as not to be entirely closed under a temperature whichwould affect the closing of the .valve 2, so that the heat of theapartment or room may be automatically controlled to suit any desiredrequirements.

-In carrying out the inyention according to another mode, a combinedregulator of the same form as that above described may be employed,

oi the diaphragm 4,

existing between the atmosphere-on may be placed under the influence ofthe low pressure prevailing in the return pipe or main 26, as shown inFig. 2, wherein the chamber 6, of the diaphragm valve is show-nconnected by a pipe 37, with a connection 17, on atherinostat 18, whilethe return pipe 26, is connected by a pipe 25, with a connection 15, onthe thermostat. It is to that this thermostat does'not in itself formpart of the present invention but that any suitable form may beemployed.

. The operation of the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 2 is verysimilarto that of the arrangement shown in Fig. 1, the valve 9, beingopened or closed according to a fall or rise in temperature in or closeto the radiator and the valve 2, being opened or closed according to afall or rise of temperature in that part oi the room in which thethermostat 18, is situated, the 'valve 2, in this case, however, beingoperated by the difference in pressure the under-side of the diaphragm,4, and the pressure in the chamber 6, which when the valve is to beopen'ed is the low pressure existing in the return pipe 26.

In carrying out the invention according to the mode illustrated by Fig.3, the thermostat 18. of the previous examples is dispensed with and asimple thermostatic valve 28, of well-known form (such as sometimes usedas an air-vent) is interposed between the return pipe 26,

and a pipe 27. leading to the chamber (ifof the dia-' The thermostaticvalve 28, com

phragin valve. prises, a cylinder 29, of a material which has a highcoeflicient of expansion the cylinder being adaptedv to abut against aplug 38, at one end and a seat 30, at the other end. Thus, when thetemperature in the'valve 28, falls sufliciently, the cylinder. 29, willcontract and open communication between the return pipe 26, and thechamber 6, so that the diaphragm 4, under the but the upper side greaterpressure or the atmosphere be understood tion. substantially as and foron its under-side will rise and open the valve 2, the converse operationoccurring when the temperature in the valve 28, rises sufiiciently tocause the cylinder 29, to close against its seat 30.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:'-

1. The combination with a heating apparatus of a thermostaticallyactuated valve adapted to control the supply of a heating medium theretoaccording to the temperature of said heating apparatus, and additionalthermostatically actuated means adapted to control said supply accordingto the temperatureremote from said heating apparatus.

:3. The combination with a heating apparatus of a thermostaticallyactuated valve adapted to control the supply of a heating medium theretoaccording to the temperature of said heating apparatus andan additionalvalve adapted to control said supply according to the temperature remotefrom said heating apparatus, a spindle for carrying said additionalvalve, a flexible diaphragm connected to said spindle. a chamber againstwhich the diaphragm is mounted, saiddiaphragm having, one side open toatmos pheric pressure and the other side influenced-by the pressure insaid chamber, a connection from the latter to the exhaust side of theapparatus, and a thermostat for controlling said connection.

The combination with-a heating apparatus of a 0011i liiraed regulatorcomprising a primary steam supply valve 9, thermostatic members 11, 12for controlling'said valve, :1 second valve 2 for controlling the steamsupplied by the first valve. a diaphragm 4 for controlling said valve 2.and a chamber 6 to which said diaphragm is connected. :1 connectionbetween said chamber and the exhaust side of the apparatus. andathermostat controlling said connecthe purpose hereiuhefure set forth.

in.testimou v whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

ROBERT ERNEST ATKINSON.

Witnesses 1 ALBERT E. PARKER, Bnrvrnau H. MATTHEWS.

